IRVING, keying, Edward, Scottish preacher, founder of the religious sect known as Irvingites: b. Annan, Dumfriesshire, 4 Aug. 1792; d. Glasgow, December 1834. He was graduated at the University of Edinburgh in 1809, taught school for some eight years, mean while becoming, 1815, a licentiate of the Church of Scotland and, in 1819, Dr. Chalmer's assist ant in Saint John's parish, Glasgow. During theseyears he formed an intimate friendship with Carlyle whom he introduced to his future wife, Jane Welsh. Irving himself had been in love with the latter, but, having become en gaged some years before to a Miss Martin, finally married this lady. In 1822 he became minister of the Caledonian Asylum chapel in Cross Street, Hatton Garden, London. Here he soon attracted very large congregations by the force and eloquence of his discourses, and the singularity of his appearance and gesticula tion. The greatest orators and statesmen of the day crowded with the wealthy and fashion able to hear him. The appearance of the preacher — tall, athletic, and sallow — display ing a profusion of jet-black glossy hair reach ing to his shoulders, with a singuar obliquity in one of his eyes, and a stern calm solemnity of aspect, enhanced the interest and excitement produced by his discourses. His phraseology was one of the peculiarities which gave him eclat with the public, for he expressed his ideas in the language of Milton, Hooker, and Jeremy Taylor. At London he began to publish books in which he broached novel theological views.
'Sermons, Lectures, and Occasional Discourses,' in which his theological divergences were first distinctly enunciated, were published in 1828. In the beginning of 1832 his inferences, espe cially in connection with the so-called ((unknown tongues," miraculous powers supposed to be owned by a Scotch girl, Mary Campbell, had appeared so extraordinary to his hearers, who in 1829 had erected for him a large church in Regent Square, that they preferred charges against their minister. On 2 May 1832 the London presbytery unanimously found him guilty of error. The consequence was that he was dismissed from his pulpit. In 1833 the presbytery of Annan, which had licensed him, deposed him from the ministry, on which oc casion his defense of himself was a sublime effort of oratory. He retired to Scotland, broken in health and spirits, and was attacked with consumption. He also published 'Four Orations' (1823) ; 'For Judgment to Come' (1823) ; 'Babylon and Infidelity Foredoomed' (1826) ; 'Exposition of the Book of Revelation' (1831). A collection of his writings, edited by Gavin Carlyle, was published in 5 volumes (1864-65). (See CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH), Consult Anon., 'E. Irving and the Catholic Apostolic Church) (London 1856); Oliphant, grs., 'Life of E (2 vols., London 1862); Wilks, W., 'E. Irving' (London 1854).